In the past, animals have always played an important role in the lexicon of horror. Now, we see animals as some sort of radioactive experiment gone wrong or a total far out way to destroy a city (I am looking at you SHARKNADO). In these contemporary projects, people forget that animals in their natural habitats are often terrifying, and that many people have fears of spiders, sharks and any animal that has sharp teeth and a thirst for blood. Modern directors’ forays into animal horror are often so over the top that it is not scary; instead, it becomes laughable. But it didn’t always used to be that way, as more realistic animal horrors from fright film history would make people think, “Can this happen to me?”

To DEBUG, a sci-fi/horror hybrid (arriving on DVD tomorrow) about a rogue computer tormenting a group of cyber-criminals trapped in deep space, writer/director David Hewlett brings a unique set of credentials. The Canadian actor (PIN, SPLICE) turned filmmaker took some time to discuss his latest venture behind the camera, including guiding his frequent co-star Jason Momoa, with FANGORIA.

It’s been nearly 30 years since the first cinematic iteration of Hannibal Lecter hit audiences in Michael Mann’s MANHUNTER, and even that took place two years before THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS even hit book shelves. And now, with Thomas Harris’ cerebral cannibal now gracing the small screen in an elegant and eerie fashion, FANGORIA is looking back at each of the respective Dr. Lecter’s who have made their mark on the big and small screen…

“The soil of a man’s heart is stonier.” These words are intoned by both Jud Crandall and the helpful spectre Pascow at different points in the classic Stephen King novel/film PET SEMATARY. It’s a sentiment that can easily be applied to King’s adapted filmography, which is a quarry pit filled with diamonds and rocks. The aforementioned 1989 film, directed by Mary Lambert (whose other genre credits include PET SEMATARY II, URBAN LEGEND: BLOODY MARY, and the classic TALES FROM THE CRYPT episode “Collection Completed”) and scripted by King himself (who also enjoys a brief cameo as a minister during a funeral scene) undoubtedly stands out as one of the diamonds. Nearly thirty years after its release, PET SEMATARY still has that kind of scary sheen that supernatural films try but often fail to emulate.

In 2011, Comic-Con was doing this huge promotion for the David Hasselhoff Comedy Central Roast, and publicists had been handing out Hasselhoff facemasks to thousands of attendees. That’s right: thousands of “David Hasselhoffs” were walking around Comic-Con! A Hoff-faced patron came over to the FANGORIA booth with his mask on, and asked, “Can the Hoff be in a horror film?” I replied, “Well, he was in WITCHERY.” Crickets…. Yeah, the Hoff was WITCHERY!

For many filmmakers, artists and fright fans out there, the FANGORIA Hall of Fame is one of the most prestigious accolades within the horror landscape. An annual honor bestowed by the horror community itself, the FANGORIA Hall of Fame has become a collection of the most respected and beloved within horror, each of whom made their unique mark upon the genre in some way, shape or form. And with this years inclusion of horror auteur Ti West and director-turned-El Rey Network mastermind Robert Rodriguez, the Hall of Fame grows even larger and more diverse in its inductees.

As the summer begins to heat up, Ted Geoghegan’s WE ARE STILL HERE is bringing the shivers to theaters and VOD today. The wintry ghosts-and-gore story marks Geoghegan’s feature directorial debut, one he discusses in this exclusive Fango chat.

Despite the stubborn arguments of some jaded fright fans, there’s no denying that JAWS is an essential film in the canon of the horror genre. The iconic score, the incredible practical effects and the genuine tension that creeps throughout; JAWS is a pop culture phenomenon that doesn’t only have the replay value of a genuine horror classic, but also the palpable scare factor that hits audiences hard to this day. And while Steven Spielberg never quite returned to out-and-out horror territory since, and understandably so considering the troubled production of JAWS, the film might have never been as effective had Spielberg not had a crash course in the craft of suspense and terror with DUEL.

With Bryan Fuller taking his shot at editing FANGORIA #343, the wait for HANNIBAL to return has become an even more difficult endeavor for fright fans. However, Fuller was able to sneak FANGORIA onto the set of HANNIBAL last month, and we were able to catch up with the brilliant cast of the surreal series. Next up is the conclusion to our chat with Fuller along with producer Steven Lightfoot, who reveal even more secrets about HANNIBAL’s third season, and talk upon the mysterious role inhabited by Zachary Quinto…

It’s very rare that a horror show like SALEM can get this far into a season while remaining largely unpredictable. The series has expertly played its narrative cards, and with every direction you think they might go, they choose a less expected path in a way that is not only satisfying but organic to the characters on display. Hence, in their latest episode entitled “Wages of Sin”, SALEM once again pulls the rug out from under the audience, sending one major character to the pits of hell while dragging others through their figurative hells as well.

Welcome, FANGORIA Readers, to CROSSING OVER, our newest column that highlights the films, series and content out there outside of horror that is fashioned towards or pays tribute to our beloved genre. By shining a light onto these projects, FANGORIA hopes to open a world of entertainment perfect for fright fans that lies just beyond the borders of the horror community. So without further ado…

With Bryan Fuller taking his shot at editing FANGORIA #343, the wait for HANNIBAL to return has become an even more difficult endeavor for fright fans. However, Fuller was able to sneak FANGORIA onto the set of HANNIBAL last month, and we were able to catch up with the brilliant cast of the surreal series. Next up was a massive chat with Fuller himself, as well as producers Martha De Laurentiis and Steven Lightfoot, who dished out some salacious secrets about HANNIBAL’s third season…